The farmers market opened for the 40th time Saturday morning, filling the Historic Square in downtown Fayetteville. Organizers expect thousands on opening day to look through 70 local vendors from Northwest Arkansas.

"We only accept vendors from the four Northwest Arkansas counties. If you don't make it or grow it in those counties you can't bring it and sell it at the Fayetteville farmers market. "So that means you have 100-percent local products everyday," general manager Lori Boatright said.

The market is expanding to a Wednesday market at the Fayetteville Botanical Gardens from 4-7 p.m. Organizers also moved the Sunday market at the Botanical Gardens to Saturday alongside the Square market from 7 a.m. to noon.

Big crowds downtown means more business for surrounding shops. Owners from The Independent, a new boutique on Block street expect more shoppers Saturday.

"I'm excited about what it's going to bring us in terms of traffic. Probably going to be a lot of new people coming through the doors that haven't been before. So we're excited to show them what we have to offer here," co-owner Judson Lee said.